Hinge device.



Patented Feb. 25, |902. R. J. IRVINE.

HINGE DEVICE.

(Application led Apr. 5'. 1900.)

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TM Nonms PETERS co., PHOTOLITHO.. WASHINGTON. n. c.

H.'J. IRVING. HINGE DlEvl'cE.

(Application led Apr. 5, 1900.)

No. 693,93. Patented Feb. 25, |902.

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Wit EE5E5\ No. 693,97I. Patented Feb. 25, |902.

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HINGE DEVICE. n (Applicntiop led Apr. 5, 1900.)

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las hereinafter described, it can be the lower- UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE. 1

ROBERT JAMES IRVING, OF PORT CARLISLE, ENGLAND.

HINGE DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 693,97'1, dated February 25, 1902.

Application filed April 5,1900.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT JAMES IRVING, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Port Carlisle, in the county of Cumberland, England, (whose postal'address is Port Carlisle, Cun1berland,) have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hinge Devices, of which the following is aspecilication.

This invention has forits object an arrangement of latching and hinging gates, so that a person driving through them can open and shut the gate without alighting, and yet the arrangement shall not be unsightly or incommodious. v

The invention will be understood from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a general view showing my invention applied to a gate; Fig. 2, an enlarged detail View of the hinges; Fig. 3, a detail plan view of one of the slotted plates, and Fig. 4 an edge View thereof; Figs. 5 and 6 two views of the other slotted plate with its pivoted rod; Figs. 7 and 8, two views of the hinge-pin and its bracket; Fig. 9, a front view of the gatelatch, and Fig. lOvan edge view. j

The gate instead of being hung on two ordinary hinges is hung on one ordinary hinge and my improved hinge. My improved hinge can be the upper hinge, or by reversing it,

hinge. Fixed to the gate I place a projecting bracket A, at the end of which is the hingepin B. This pin passes through two converging slots F in a fixed bracket or plate C at about ninety-tive degrees with each other and at an angle of preferably about forty-five degrees with the gate when in a closed position. The apex c, but not the other ends of these Slots F, is considerably farther from the gatepostD than is the lower hinge E. These slots F in my experimental gate are aboutiiveinches long from the apex c, where they join. Immediately below these two slots is a curved plate G, having two similar slots H. This curved plate is fixed to the end of a rod I, pivoted at .I from six inches to a foot below the plate G, so that the whole rod I, with the lower plate G, is free to rotate on this axis in a plane at right angles to the normal position of the shut gate. T0 the bottom of this rod a rope Senn No. 11,724. (No man or chain K is attached, leading out on each O, each having an embayment O at the top.

This latch-plate O has two sloping wings P .and an embayment Q between forthe tongue or pin to rest in. When the gate shuts, the catch ofthe tongue or pin M pushes up the sloping wings P of the latch and falls into the central embayment Q, no matter from which side the latch comes. The embayments O prevent the latch lifting at both ends at once. Either end can be lifted, but only one end ata time.

The two cords K pass, as before mentioned, to the two posts L by the side of thedrive on opposite sides of the gate and pass around guide-pulleys R S T to a pivoted lever U on a universal jointVontop of the postL. This lever is counterweighted by the counterweight WV.

The mode ofaction is as follows: The driver coming to the post finds the end X of the rope K hanging over the roadway. Ile pulls the cord, which pulls over the lever I, causing the lower slotted plate G to move relatively to the other, thus forcing the hinge-pin B backward and sidewise and raising the latch end of the gate. The gate opens to a posivtion at right anglesto the normal closed position and rests on a foot-step Y, the weight of the gate resting on the foot-step preventing its being accidentally closed by the wind or otherwise. The carriage then passes. As the driver passes the next post he pulls the end of the other cord, and'thiscausesthe gate to rise off the foot-step andto Swingin the reverse direction until itis closed. Atl this point he releases the rope, leaving'the'gate closed. Just before closing the latch-plate rides over the'pin M until the latter arrives at the central embayment. The latch-plate falls to its normal position, fastening the gate from opening from either side until the operation before described is again carried out IOO from either side or the latch-plate moved by hand.

When the lower hinge is on my improved plan instead ot' the upper, the slots are in the reverse position--that is to say, the apex of the slots is reversed, the apex being in proximity to the gate-post instead of away from it-and the handle of the lever I is then near the top of the hinge instead of near the bottom. The lever U being provided with a universal joint moves freely in any direction, and so cannot interfere with any traiic which might possibly touch it. If touched or pulled in any direction, it returns on being set free to its original position, holding the cord conveniently at right angles over the road. It is not supposed to take the weight of the pull on the cord, which is transferred through pulleys to the post. Two stops Z may be arranged at the back of the gate to prevent the lever from being pulled too far when closing.

I claim as my inventionl. In a swinging gate, a hinge-bracket having converging slots, a complementary pin member adapted to movein said slots, a similar slotted bracket adapted to engage said pin, and an actuating-lever on which said latter bracket is carried, substantially as described.

2. In a swinging gate,a fixed hinged bracket having converging slots, a lever mounted on a pivot at right angles to the gate, a similar bracket carried by said lever, a hinge-pin engaging both brackets, and means on both sides of said gate to rock said lever, substantially as described.

3; In a swinging gate, in combination with the gate-post, upper and lower pairs of hinges, having members iixed to said post, the fixed member of the upper hinge extending beyond the end of the lower fixed member, one of said members consisting of a bracket having slotted converging arms, a pin on the gate moving in said bracket, a rocking actuatinglever, said lever carrying a bracket similar to said iirst bracket and adapted to engage said pin, a latch on said gate, and means connected to said lever on both sides of the gate whereby the lever may be rocked in either direction to move the hinge-pin backward and sidewise, substantially as described.

4. In a swinging gate, an actuating-lever therefor, in combination with means for operating said lever consisting of a post, a lever universally pivoted on said post and provided with a counterweight, pulleys mounted on said post and post-lever, a rope or chain passing over said pulleys and connected to the actuating-lever, substantially as described. In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name, this 22d day of March, 1900, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT JAMES IRVING.

IVitnesses:

RICHARD MULcAs'rER, WILLIAM CAMERON. 

